Fight brews over Commission plan to prop up green steel

Companies representing nearly half of European steel production are warning against a low-carbon label, while NGOs worry about greenwashing. It’s an unusual alliance between businesses and climate campaigners, reflecting the Commission’s challenges in creating a cleaner EU industry. The EU executive, meanwhile, says it’s considering all options, with both carbon and competitiveness in mind.
25 November 2025 at 8h00
Energy
The European Commission is considering its support for green steel. Tiger Strawberry/iStock
by Ciaran Sunderland

Pushback is mounting over how the European Commission plans to support green steel production in the European Union.

The EU executive is considering introducing a voluntary carbon emissions labelling system that is meant to support the creation of lead markets and stimulate early demand for low-carbon European steel.

But the move has drawn widespread criticism, bringing industry and climate NGOs into an unusual alliance against the idea.

The controversy behind the so-called sliding-scale approach, which is being considered for the…

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